Latest news with #EU-UK
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Von der Leyen arrives in Scotland ahead of talks with Trump
The European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen has arrived in Scotland ahead of talks with US President Donald Trump on an EU-UK trade agreement. Discussion are expected to get under way in the late afternoon, and have been described as a "final negotiating session". Upon his arrival, Mr Trump said that there was a 50:50 chance of striking a deal. Ms von Der Leyen landed in Glasgow last night and will make her way to Turnberry on the west coast, where she will meet with him. According to officials on the European side, there is optimism that a deal can be struck, but not certainty. Negotiators are understood to have taken talks to a point where it was now felt that the leaders had to agree on final concessions. Talks are expected to get underway at around 4pm this afternoon. If a deal is struck it will be an agreement in principle, with a final document issued at a later date. It is understood the deal will involve a baseline tariff of 15% on EU goods. However, should the leaders fail to reach an agreement the US has threatened to impose a 30% tariff rate from first of August. The European Union has also promised that reciprocal measures will follow. Yesterday, Mr Trump was spotted playing a round at the famous course, which he purchased back in 2014. A massive security operation was in place as the President played golf on the course. He drove his own golf buggy, but a heavy security presence saw Mr Trump flanked by a fleet of similar vehicles. Even before he took to the course, police officers and military personnel could be seen searching the area around the Trump Turnberry resort - which has had a metal fence erected around it as part of heightened security measures. No protesters were seen while he was golfing on Saturday - but hundreds of people gathered in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen for demonstrations against his visit organised by the Stop Trump Coalition. After spending some time at his South Ayrshire resort, Mr Trump will head to Aberdeenshire, where he is expected to open a second course at his Trump International golf resort in Balmedie. During his time in the north-east, Mr Trump is also due to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney. Speaking ahead of the talks, Mr Swinney said it was his responsibility to "raise global and humanitarian issues of significant importance, including the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza" with the US President. Saying he wanted to "ensure Scotland's voice is heard at the highest levels of government across the world" Mr Swinney added: "That is exactly what I will do when I meet with President Trump during his time in Scotland."
Euractiv
11-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
France's migration breakaway
Welcome to the Capitals, by Nicoletta Ionta and Eddy Wax. We welcome feedback and tips here. Sign up here. Donald Trump told NBC on Thursday that the EU and Canada would receive letters with their new tariff rates 'today or tomorrow'. Overnight, the US president posted Canada's letter on social media, announcing a general 35% tariff. No sign of the letter to the EU, for now. In today's edition: Macron and Starmer's migration deal EU's Israel options Farmers will be back DG CNECT chief stays on Today's edition is powered by CEN and CENELEC Standards support European competitiveness CEN and CENELEC welcome Denmark's Presidency of the EU Council. We are ready to leverage the strength of standards to help Europe complete the Single Market, drive innovation, strengthen competitiveness and ensure effective regulation across strategic sectors. Read more. À la carte Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer unveiled a long-awaited 'one in, one out' migration deal on Thursday, and put the European Commission in a bind. Southern member states, including Italy, Spain, Malta, Cyprus, and Greece, had written to the EU executive, warning against bilateral migration pacts with the UK. They fear being left to deal with the human consequences as Britain ships asylum-seekers back to France, only for them to ricochet south under EU asylum rules. But now migrants arriving in the UK via small boat will be 'detained and returned to France in short order', Starmer said. And for every person who is deported or sent back, another person "with ties to the UK" will be allowed to come into the country from France. The scheme will launch in the coming weeks as a pilot, though full details remain under wraps. Macron said it will be signed 'as soon as legal verification procedures have been completed, including those involving the European Union'. The Commission has maintained strategic ambiguity in recent weeks, trying to avoid direct comment on the UK-France rapprochement. But it's not clear how long the Berlaymont can go on ignoring the bloc's north-side divide. Last year, France's interior minister and his German counterpart drafted a letter urging Brussels to pursue an EU-UK migration pact. The missive was never sent, though both ministers have been vocal about deepening migration cooperation with London. Meanwhile, Mediterranean countries maintain their long-standing scepticism. On Thursday, as the long-rumoured deal became a reality, a Commission spokesperson was still repeating the executive's usual line – that it is 'working with France and the UK' as well as other EU member states, to support solutions 'compatible with the spirit and the letter of EU law'. Is the Macron-Starmer plan one of those solutions? The Commission did not say. The farmers are coming Angry farmers are gearing up for another showdown in Brussels on 16 July, targeting proposed cuts to EU farm subsidies and the Commission's plan to roll agriculture and cohesion funding into national 'partnerships' run by member states. The protests, organised by European farmers' groups, will coincide with the Commission's unveiling of its first set of proposals for the EU's next long-term budget. A second batch of proposals is expected in September. Here are five key things we know so far about the Commission's budget overhaul. The EU's Israel options EU ambassadors are set to discuss today an options paper outlining possible measures against Israel, drafted by the bloc's diplomatic service and reported by Euractiv's Alex Brzozowski last weekend. The paper – seen by Euractiv – now lists up to ten options, including a full or partial suspension of the EU-Israel trade pact, sanctions on Israeli ministers, military personnel or extremist settlers, trade restrictions, an arms embargo, and a suspension of scientific and other cooperation. Most of the proposed steps require unanimity and are unlikely to advance as member states remain deeply divided. Brussels had initially said it hoped the pressure of the process would help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. With a Gaza aid deal struck by the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and Israel on Wednesday, some EU diplomats now say this could temporarily diffuse the discussion over whether Brussels should follow through with measures when EU foreign ministers meet next Tuesday. Meanwhile, 27 former EU ambassadors have written an open letter to pressure the heads of the European institutions to pause the bloc's trade preferences and Horizon research cooperation with Israel, whether or not a cease-fire in Gaza is soon reached. The aid business After long touting plans to use foreign aid in service of its own interests – rather than merely fighting poverty – the Commission is putting its money where its tweets are. As Brussels' foreign aid bubble-within-the-bubble dissects the 2028-2034 Global Europe regulation, obtained by Euractiv, one section raising eyebrows is a plan to provide grants to European companies (without a competitive tender) to spur investments abroad that serve 'the strategic interest of the Union'. A 'direct award' could be handed over, the draft regulation states, 'to enable investments or finance feasibility studies in strategic areas such as critical raw materials or digital and other infrastructure, in particular as part of integrated packages, to enhance the Union's strategic autonomy'. The Commission has not made any secret of its shift away from helping the world's poorest countries to instead try and curry favour elsewhere and open markets for its own firms. But still, handing out cash to private companies (who presumably would be able to find a few million for their own feasibility studies) from the same pot which now contains the EU's humanitarian assistance budget, is unlikely to go unopposed by foreign aid advocates. As one EU member state official told us, 'state aid disguised as development is a bit tricky'. Around the bloc GERMANY | Germany's parliament has launched a review of the country's COVID-19 response. It received cross-party support – except the far-right AfD, which demanded a tougher inquiry. The topic gained traction after a government review accused then-Health Minister Jens Spahn, an ally of Chancellor Merz, of grave errors in the pandemic response. FRANCE | A new permanent headquarters in Paris will serve as the base for the Western-led 'Coalition of the Willing' for Ukraine for one year, coordinating a future multinational 'reassurance force' ready to support Kyiv after a potential ceasefire. Read more. ROME | Italy pledged Thursday to increase its defence cooperation with Ukraine and encourage private investment to support Kyiv's post-war reconstruction. Read more. PORTUGAL | Portugal's government approved the reprivatisation of airline TAP on Thursday, with the prime minister announcing plans to sell an initial 49.9% stake. CZECHIA | Russia has intensified covert operations in Czechia, but its efforts have resulted in only 'minor security incidents,' according to an annual report from Czechia's domestic intelligence agency (BIS). Read more. POLAND | The European Commission wrongly deducted over €68 million from Poland's EU funds for failing to halt operations at the Turów coal mine, according to an EU Court of Justice preliminary opinion on Thursday. Read more. SWEDEN | Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell is facing mounting political pressure following revelations that his teenage son was involved with far-right extremist circles. Read more. SLOVAKIA | The Slovak PM and the German chancellor have traded jabs over Slovakia's veto of the EU's 18th sanctions package against Russia. "Only one member state is still needed to agree to this,' Merz said at a conference in Rome. 'I therefore urge Slovakia and its prime minister to stop blocking the approval." Fico fired back on social media, saying he refuses to negotiate "under pressure from strong words". Also on Euractiv
Scotsman
10-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Livingston Constituency MP Challenges Opposition Parties Over EU Trade Deal Benefits
Local businesses including Glenmorangie and Paterson shortbread are set to benefit from £9bn annual boost by 2040 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Livingston constituency MP Gregor Poynton today challenged opposition parties to explain why they oppose a new EU trade agreement that will deliver significant benefits to Scottish businesses and the wider economy. Speaking during Cabinet Office questions in the House of Commons, Mr Poynton highlighted how the deal will help world-class producers in his constituency, including Glenmorangie whisky distillery and Paterson shortbread bakery, as well as the broader Scottish salmon industry which has already welcomed the agreement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The West Lothian MP emphasised the global reputation of Scottish produce, stating that the new agreement would help Scottish businesses "grow and export world class products" including premium whisky bottled in his constituency and traditional shortbread baked locally. Livingston MP Gregor Poynton has challenged opposition parties to get behind the new EU-UK Trade Deal Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, confirmed the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement will make trade with the EU "easier and cheaper" for a wide range of Scottish produce including Paterson shortbread, Lorne sausages and Scottish seed potatoes. The Minister described Mr Poynton as speaking "very powerfully for his local businesses" and confirmed that the agreement represents a significant economic opportunity for Scotland and the wider UK economy. Crucially, the Minister stated that any party seeking to reverse the agreement would need to explain why they want to remove £9 billion worth of annual economic benefits by 2040 from the UK economy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Poynton questioned why the SNP, Conservatives and Reform UK have "set their face against" a deal that has been warmly welcomed by the Scottish salmon industry and other key Scottish exporters, particularly given the substantial economic benefits it will deliver. The exchange comes as the government seeks to rebuild and strengthen trade relationships with the EU following years of uncertainty, while ensuring Scottish businesses can compete effectively in international markets. The SPS agreement is expected to reduce bureaucratic barriers and costs for food and agricultural exports, making it easier for Scottish producers to access the large EU market and maintain their competitive edge in international trade.
Irish Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish fishermen to lose €800m in revenue due to new EU-UK Brexit fishery deal
Irish Fishermen are going to lose a staggering €800 million in revenue because of the new EU-UK Brexit fishery deal which runs for 12 years until 2038, we can reveal. The claim was made by the CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, Aodh O' Donnell, who represents the majority fishermen in the country, in an interview with the Sunday Mirror. He warned: "The current EU quota allocations are disastrous for Ireland's coastal communities and an indictment of ongoing and systemic injustice at EU level. "By June of this year Irish fishermen were forced to stop targeted sole fishing in the Celtic Sea because they were given less than 5pc of the EU quota there. "In contrast Belgian vessels will continue to fish Celtic Sea sole, benefiting from a staggering 87pc of the total EU quota in that fishing zone. "The imbalance continues in the Irish nSea where Belgian fleets hold 59pc of the EU quota - almost three times Ireland's 20pc share. "To put this disparity in context Belgium has a 67 km coastline while the Irish coastline is over 3,100k, so we deserve bitter not small quotas. Irish fishing interests have been repeatedly sidelined by Brussels." Mr O'Donnell said the extension of the current EU-UK fishery arrangements, initially brought in after Brexit, means a staggering 40pc of the value of quotas transferred to the UK come from Ireland alone. He warned: "In a hammer blow to Ireland's coastal communities this deal will now be rolled over until 2038. "It has already cost our industry 180 million euros to date but losses will total an estimated 800 million by 2038. The burden was never shared fairly and now this inequity appears to be locked in for another 12 years. "The Irish Fish Producers Organisation has rightly questioned why Ireland was singled out to carry such a disproportionate burden. Ireland holds 12pc of EU waters but receives less than 6pc of the quotas. "The Irish mackerel fleet alone has lost 26pc of its quota while the Dublin Bay Prawns fleet has lost 15pc. This injustice cannot stand. The Irish Government must urgently meet with the European Commission and demand a full rebalancing of the Brexit burden. "We cannot accept a continuation of a policy that sacrifices Irish fishers and the communities they sustain. "Our coastal and rural communities cannot afford another decade of neglect. We owe it to them to fight with urgency and determination, for a fair deal and a viable future."
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Major European holiday destination will let Brits use e-gates to avoid queues
UK passport holders can now skip lengthy waits to get their documents stamped at the airport in Sofia, Bulgaria by using the e-gates system as part of the new deal EU-UK deal Holidaymakers heading to Bulgaria will be able to avoid nightmare queues this summer as e-gates are rolled out to Brits. UK passport holders can now skip lengthy waits to get their documents stamped at the airport in Sofia by using the quicker e-gates system. Last year, nearly half a million Brits visited the popular holiday destination. It comes after Keir Starmer sealed a deal with the EU last month, which agreed there would be no legal barriers to allowing British travellers to use e-gates abroad. Since Brexit, UK passport holders have generally had to queue for manual checks at border control. But under the pact, the EU has agreed to ease checks universally on British travellers. EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told the Mirror: 'Today's eGates win is great news for Brits travelling to the EU – and a clear sign of the Government's pragmatic reset of our relationship with Brussels and European capitals.' Keir Starmer hails 'common sense' deal with EU as a 'win-win' - with boosts for shoppers and tourists Faro Airport, in Portugal, was the first to start the rollout last month, with cities like Paris, Lisbon and Rome following suit. More countries are set to follow suit, with Tallin, in Estonia pencilled in for next year. The Government has faced criticism over the pace of the rollout of e-gates after the Prime Minister initially said it would apply immediately. However the EU plans to launch its new Entry/Exit System (EES) in October 2025, which will scrap the requirement for non-EU citizens to have their passports stamped. It is thought that more European airports will allow Brits to use the e-gates after this new system is brought in. The full list of airports with confirmed e-gate access Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Paris Orly Airport Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg Marseille Provence Airport Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport Nice Airport Eurostar Paris Gare du Nord Terminal Eurostar London St Pancras Terminal Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal Eurotunnel Calais Terminal Port of Calais Alicante Mallorca Tenerife Lanzarote Egates Gran Canaria Ibiza Naples Airport Rome Fiumicino Airport Rome Ciampino Airport Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport Venice Marco Polo Airport Cagliari Airport Milan Malpensa Airport Milan Linate Airport Bari Airport Brindisi Airport Bergamo Airport Treviso Airport Verona Villafranca Airport Florence Airport Pisa International Airport Turin Airport Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport Catania Airport Palermo Airport Lisbon Airport Terminal 1 Faro Airport Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (exit only) Larnaca International Airport Paphos International Airport Brussels airport Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport Dublin airport Prague airport Terminal 1 Helsinki airport
